a flarey tale
by nickileigh
Summary: i used to love Eli. but after everything i'm not sure i can be with him. i have had my eye on someone else. his name is Mark. and it makes the situation even stickier because everything that happened was because of him.   rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**

**I DO NOT OWN DEGRASSI OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.**

**This is my first time writing so im sorry if it sucks. Sorry that this is a fitz clare story and there hasn't been any of it yet I need to get to that part yet. I should be able to update the stories pretty quickly because I have no life so here is goes(:**

Clare's POV

It had been a month since the whole Vegas Night debacle, and my relationship with Eli was not the same by any means. He barely looked at me, yet he still called me his girlfriend. It was like when ever he saw me in person he couldn't stand the sight of me but when we would talk on the phone or chat online every was just dandy. Sometimes Eli drive me insane. I know that he was the person that I wanted to be with. I just don't know if I was the one he wanted to be with…

When I got home from schoool. I walked over to my computer to start my english homework and I decided to sign in to my instant messenger. Once I signed in I just minimized it and started to work. I was almost done with the first half of my essay and I get an IM from eli.

**ELI: **hey blue eyes

I thought for a minute and chose not to answer. For some reason something didn't feel right and I couldn't figure out what it was.

After about ten minutes with no response I get another message from him

**ELI: **did I do something wrong?- if I did I'm sorry.

I felt kind of bad for not answering. I wanted to ask him what was really going on with him but that was something that I wanted to talk about face to face.

**CLARE: ** you didn't do anything wrong…I'm just busy…um. Can I talk to you later?

I lied. I didn't think there was anything else I could do. I didn't feel like getting into an argument tonight especially with the constant bickering of my parents in the background. It had become almost routine for them to fight every night.

**ELI:** i..i guess so. Seeya.

I feel guilty for lying to him but it was just another fight that I couldn't have right now.

I worked on my english homework for a little while longer and then I see a little notification in the bottom right hand corner of my screen that says **ELI has signed off**.

I wanted things to go back to the way they were but I highly doubt that would happen.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I DO NOT OWN DEGRASSI OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

**BARE WITH ME THE FLARE IS ON ITS WAY! JUST A LITTLE MORE BACK STORY**

Clare's POV

"It's 8:30 and I still didn't finish this homework…what's wrong with me?" I said under my breath.

Deep down inside I knew why I hadn't been able to finish the homework; I just didn't want to admit it.

I had felt like a terrible girlfriend for lying to Eli like that. I knew I had to make things right. I was going to message him but he had already signed off. His cell phone broke so I couldn't call him. The only other option was to go to his house. So I did.

I'm going to regret this I thought to myself. I started to walk to Eli's house. I was about to ring the doorbell when some girl opened it. I had never seen her before. She had long brown hair and green eyes. She was gorgeous. Now what was she doing at my boyfriend's house.

"Uhh…Clare, hi!" Eli said while laughing and smiling at the mystery girl.

"Hi, um... I guess I should go. It looks like you have your hands full." I said bitterly while turning and taking my first few steps away from his house.

"Clare, wait! I can explain. Please. Just stay." He said while grabbing my wrist.

"Let go of me. I'm going home. I don't want to talk to you."

I was filled with so many emotions that I didn't know what to do or where to go. I couldn't go home. Nor did I want to. I had to go somewhere that no one would see me.

Was he cheating on me? I asked myself. I didn't want to know the answer to that. I couldn't even bare to think about him being with another girl after I gave him almost everything.

I don't know what possessed me to go to the park but I found myself walking through the grass and sitting on a picnic table. This was the same picnic table that Eli, Adam and I had did our English project. This is where Eli and I had shared our first kiss. I don't know what in the world compelled me to come here. It just made me feel worse about myself.

I cried for about an hour and then I noticed a figure coming towards me across the grass. I wasn't sure of whom it was so I just stayed quiet and didn't move. As the person came closer I recognized who it was. It was Mark. He looked pretty somber himself. He kept walking towards me and when he got to the picnic table he sat next to me.

"Clare, are you okay? Why are you here all alone in the dark?" Mark asked in a genuine tone.

"I…uh…I didn't know where else to go," I tried to say through my sobs, "I went to fix things with me and Eli and-"

He cut me off.

"Stop. You don't have to tell me this."

"Thank you…wh..why are you here?' I choked out.

He began to say why he was there but I wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying. I was more shocked at the fact that he felt comfortable talking to me. And that he didn't just keep walking. Why hadn't he just kept on walking? I questioned in my head. So many things were just flying around up there.

I wasn't sure if he had stopped talking or if he was seeing if I was paying attention. When I looked up I saw that he was starting to cry. He wasn't afraid to cry in front of my I liked that.

"Mark…are you okay?" I asked sincerely. I wondered why he was crying in the first place. Maybe I should have listened to what he was saying.

"No…honestly, I'm not." He said as he rested his head on my shoulder.

To be continued…

**Sorry about the cliffhanger. I really need to write an essay for English as much as I don't want to. But no fear the next chapter will be up in an hour or so (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER**

**I DO NOT OWN DEGRASSI OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

Clare's POV

Is this really happening? Is Mark really sitting here crying on my shoulder? What was he talking about when I wasn't listening?

"Mark. Do you want to talk about it?" I asked in a concerned voice

"I can't."

What happened next was really unexpected. I don't really know what came over me but before I knew it I was holding Mark in my arms. I was embracing him like my mother used to embrace me when I got hurt as a child. Mark was honestly an amazing guy, and to think that he was right now finding comfort in me made me feel needed.

"Can I ask you something Mark?"

"Of course Clare."

"What made you bring a knife to Vegas Night?"

He paused and then said, "You have to believe me Clare, I didn't intend for things to go that far. I was just trying to protect you. I guess my intentions got turned around after that idiot Eli slipped something into my drink." He took a deep breath and then continued; "I've got to tell you something Clare…" he waited to see that I was listening.

"What is it Mark?"

"The real reason why I've had it out for Eli is because of you," he looked down at his hands which were starting to shake and then began again, "I…I like you Clare. I was tired of seeing you with him."

After he said that he was not trying to be a monster when he brought the knife. He was trying to protect me. He wanted me for himself. He may have taken the wrong approach to get to me, but I liked that he was telling me the truth.

I moved his almost lifeless body so that I could look him in the eyes. I grabbed his chin moving very slowly, I watched his eyes as I began to move my face a little closer. There was a moment of hesitation from me, but then I continued moving my face closer and closer to him as slow as I could. Waiting in a way for him to stop me or to move closer to me, he did.

His face started to move closer to me.

Mark's POV

Was this really happening? Was Clare really leaning in to kiss me? Maybe I was dreaming.

We came so incredibly close to kissing. You would probably be able to fit about one piece of paper between our lips. The wait seemed unbearable but I didn't want to rush her into something even when she was the one who initiated it.

Eli's POV

"Clare !" I shouted as I walked through the streets.

"Clare, where are you!" I continued to shout as I walked to the park entrance.

I messed up. I need to tell her what was really going on. I don't want to lose her. I can't lose her. I thought to myself. As I walked through the park, I thought about the time Clare and I had shared our first kiss. I need to go there.

As I was walking through the park on my way to the infamous picnic table where everything started to be right again after Julia had died, I saw two people on the picnic table I was unsure of who it was. I was about to turn around so they could have their privacy but then I heard a voice.

Mark's POV

I needed reassurance. I pulled my head back and I just looked at her. Her eyes opened and she looked like she was about to say something but before she could I did.

Eli's POV

"Are you sure you want to do this. I mean aren't you still with him? You're going to regret this I know. And I don't want to be the reason for you to be unhappy." The voice had said.

I heard someone else's voice, _her voice_, and I immediately knew. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be _her _with another guy could it be? I knew she was upset and mad at what she saw, but was she really that mad? Was she really willing to throw everything away before giving me a chance to explain myself?

Clare's POV

"I'm sure I want to. Whatever happened with him doesn't matter to me anymore. I want to be with you." I said knowing that he was a little reluctant.

"CLARE!"

I heard a voice_, his voice_, say my name and I jumped.

"Who are you?" Mark questioned trying to be tough.

"Mark. I know who that is. Please just don't start anything. Not now. Not if you want to be with me as much as I think you do." I begged of him.

**I hate cliffhangers just as much as everyone else but I have to **


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I DO NOT OWN DEGRASSI OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

Eli's POV

"Clare, what are you doing here with him?" I asked wanting to run up to the table and just rip his head off. Even after the things that happened today I still loved Clare. I just needed to tell her. I needed to let her know that nothing was happening between me and Sophia. Not recently anyway…

"Eli I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see you anymore. We're over. Please leave Mark and I alone." Claire said about to tear.

I could tell that I really hurt her. I know I needed to make it right again. I didn't care what she said I wasn't leaving her alone. I had to tell her that what she saw was all wrong.

"Clare please just hear me out. We need to talk," I said as I started to walk closer to them, "let me at least explain what you saw today."

Clare's POV

"Eli, you hurt me," I shifted my body that I was closer to Mark, "you were with another girl Eli. How do you think that made me feel? Tell me Eli, how does it feel seeing the person you love with someone else?"

I knew that Mark wanted to see Eli just about as much as I did right now and I was afraid of what he would do to protect me. I had horrible flashbacks of what had happened at Vegas Night. Mark did that for me. What was he capable of doing now, when he saw Eli hurt me? At this moment, I was scared. I didn't want Mark to be here anymore. I wanted him to go home. What happened between Eli and I in the next few minutes shouldn't have anything to do with him.

"Mark, I'm sorry to put you through this. You are a really great guy. I appreciate what you did for me, and I'm here for you whenever you need me, but right now I need you to go. I need to talk to Eli…alone." I got up from the table. I looked back at Mark and I wanted to give him the kiss that I never got to give him but I thought that Eli might do something to hurt him.

"Are you sure you want me to go Clare? What if you need me?" mark asked while he stood up and looked at Eli.

"I won't need you. Right Eli?"

Eli just smirked and glared over at Mark. "No."

"Okay. Bye Clare," he said with a smile, "Eli if you hurt her anymore today then you've got it coming for you." Mark added with a protective tone.

Mark walked away and when he was out of earshot Eli began to speak.

"Listen what you saw at my house today was not what it seemed to be. I promise you with all the love I have in my heart for you that I did not do anything with Sophia. I would never hurt you like that."

I just stood there in silence. I didn't know what to do. He came closer and I put my hands up to stop him.

"Clare, I'm not lying to you. Nothing happened _today_." Eli said trying to calm me down.

There was a word in what he said that was driving me insane. It was "today". What about all the other days. My heart dropped as well as my jaw.

"What's wrong Clare?"

He began to walk closer to me again, but this time I didn't stop him. As the distance between us became smaller a tear rolled down from my eye.

"Eli, you said that nothing happened with Sophia today. Has anything happened between you two on any other day?" when I said this I felt as if I were going to die. I knew that an answer was coming and I knew I wasn't going to like it.

"You want the truth Clare?"

"As much as I am going to regret it, yes." I started to sob harder.

"I… well…umm…you see…right after Julia died, I needed someone…and Sophia, she was…there for me. We started seeing each other. One day she came over and we spent all day talking in my room and I learned everything about her. She sent me an e-mail two days later that she was sorry but she didn't think she could be with me anymore because I was too 'damaged.' We hadn't seen each other since that day in my room and today she stopped by and we-."

I cut him off. I didn't want to hear anymore. "Eli, please. Don't say anymore. I trust you if you say that nothing happened."

"I promise. Nothing happened. I love you too much to let anything happen. She was here today to tell me that she was sorry for never giving me a proper goodbye. When you came to the door and saw us smiling, I was telling her about you. How happy you made me. She said it was good that I found someone like you. She thought that I would never move on."

He wiped the tears from my eyes and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I hadn't pushed him away because I didn't have the strength.


End file.
